Page 5 - THree River Arts & Cuture Startegy Proposal from TCI

1. Our Understanding of the Situation
Incorporated in 2018 through an amalgamation of seven previous towns plus unincorporated areas in Eastern Prince Edward Island, Three Rivers has inherited a rich and diverse array of arts and cultural institutions, organizations, artist studios, heritage sites, and other cultural assets.
Some of these facilities are volunteer-run by organizations with no direct funding from the Town: The Panmore Island Lighthouse, Three Rivers Roma, The Cardigan Farmers’ Market, and Artists on Main.
Elsewhere, the Cardigan Heritage Centre receives Town funding but is entirely volunteer-run. One cultural asset - the Garden of the Gulf Museum - is owned by the Town and managed by a board with Town representation. Elsewhere, the Kings Playhouse is also owned by the Town but functions with an independent board.
This collection of cultural amenities with their inconsistent administrative models and funding operations is less than optimal to capitalize on the potential of Three Rivers. The creation of a more considered and rational strategy to developing your arts and culture assets is at the heart of this proposal.
There will be many benefits to a more coordinated and rational approach. These include enhanced recreation benefits for residents and greater social cohesion for the community. A more coordinated approach has the added potential to advance the Town’s economic development through cultural tourism. In addition, it promises to contribute to the Town’s growth through “amenity migration” - a concept advanced by leading theorists of cultural planning1.
To achieve these and other outcomes, Three Rivers is seeking a Strategy for the sustainable growth of its arts and culture institutions, organizations, artist studios, heritage sites, and other cultural assets - many of which do not share facility, human, or capital resources.
As you have stated in your Call for Proposals, this Strategy will be a “rallying point” for all interested parties, and for the Town itself. Again, to quote from the Call for Proposals, this Strategy will “address the best way to use all existing resources and how to move forward toward a common vision for the future”.
Our detailed work plan and timelines - as outlined in the main in body of this proposal - will address the above-stated challenges and needs, providing Three Rivers with a detailed Strategy for the development of its arts and culture sector. It includes an overall work plan process, along with specific deliverables. These deliverables include a Situation Analysis, an Operational
1 This is the idea that highly creative individuals, who are more likely to be affluent and be connected, will be drawn to attractive rural locations with great amenities as places to live, work and invest. See: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10708-009-9295-4
4 TCI Management Consultants